St. Paul Johnson won its seventh consecutive badminton state championship and 12th title overall, edging conference rival Washington 4-3 in the final at Eden Prairie High School.
The Governors won three of the first four matches and their third doubles team of Lena Nguyen and Alexis Xiong rallied for a 14-21, 21-17, 21-16 to clinch the victory.
Washington, which has never won a state crown, lost in the title match for the fifth time. All five setbacks have come against Johnson over the past eight years.
RON HAGGSTROM
Etc.
- The 2023 and 2024 WCHA Final Faceoffs — four-team tournaments held over two days — will remain at Ridder Arena, the conference and the Gophers women's hockey team announced. The Final Faceoff has been held at Ridder since it began 2016.
- Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck delivered two commencement speeches on Monday — one to undergraduates, the other to graduates of the Carlson School of Management.
- Minnesota State Mankato's Makayla Jackson was named NCAA Division II outdoor track and field national athlete of the week for the second time this season. The sophomore from Milwaukee won three individual events (100, 200 and long jump) and was part of a winning 4x100 relay team in the NSIC meet.
- Gustavus senior first baseman Jack Hanson was named the Player of the Year in the MIAC, Carleton righthander Kiefer Lord the Pitcher of the Year, Concordia first baseman Isaac Henkemeyer-Howe the Rookie of the Year and Bethel's Brian Raabe Coach of the Year.
- After three seasons, St. Olaf women's soccer program Whitney Frary resigned to pursue another coaching opportunity. Her teams at St. Olaf had a 14-19-3 overall record.
- Second baseman Kaija Mork and first baseman Zoe Kinakin of Bethany Lutheran were named to the All-Region IX first team in Division III softball.
